Age limit slapped on racy Japanese art show scheduled to open at the British Museum More Information: http://artdaily.com/news

June 26, 2013, 11:24 pm

≫ Next: Topaz crystal

≪ Previous: Victorian Scarab Beetle Parure

$

0

0

 

Utagawa Toyoharu (attributed to), Courtesans of the Tamaya House, a screen painting; Japan, Edo period, late AD 1770s or early 1780s© The Trustees of the British Museum.

LONDON (AFP).- The British Museum will introduce a cinema-style age limit later this year when it hosts an exhibition of Japanese art featuring graphic sexual content, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The images set to go on show in London in October showcase the Japanese erotic art form Shunga, but some are so explicit that children under the age of 16 will only be allowed to enter if accompanied by an adult.

A spokeswoman for the museum said one image by the artist Hokusai would show a woman in a tryst with two octopuses. "We are applying parental guidance advice to the exhibition that all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and that they should be aware the material is of a sexually explicit nature," the spokeswoman said.

In a preview of the show, the museum showed off one of the tamer paintings, "Courtesans of the Tamaya House" by Utagawa Toyoharu, dating from the 1770s or early 1780s.

"This is a finishing school for tarts. You can see all the skills that a successful tart has to know," the museum's director Neil MacGregor said of the painting.

The British Museum is Britain's most popular visitor attraction and is currently experiencing high demand for its show "Life and Death in Pompeii", which has attracted 1.7 million visitors since April. © 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse 

---

Topaz crystal

June 27, 2013, 8:21 am

≫ Next: Green velvet malachite

≪ Previous: Age limit slapped on racy Japanese art show scheduled to open at the British Museum More Information: http://artdaily.com/news

$

0

0

Topaz crystal (6.4 x 5.1 x 3.9 cm) with unique inclusions. Sensational termination and color. Glassy faces. From Sakangyi, Burma. Price on request. (Photo: Wimon Manorotkul)

Topaz crystal (4.7 x 5.1 x 2.9 cm). Fabulous color, very gemmy with a great inclusion, glassy faces. Fantastic termination. From Sakangyi, Burma. Price: $2000. (Photo: Wimon Manorotkul)

 

Green velvet malachite

June 27, 2013, 8:50 am

≫ Next: Firangi Sword, 18th Century, Indian

≪ Previous: Topaz crystal

$

0

0

Green velvet. This malachite (6.1 x 5.1 x 5.1 cm), acquired at the Ste-Marie show, is from Katanga, Congo. It has an incredible velvet shine on the edges. Very showy. Price: $650.00.

A fantastic grouping of velvet malachite (4.0 x 5.1 x 6.7 cm) from Katanga, Congo. Great from different angles. Price: $350. (Photo: John McLean)

Firangi Sword, 18th Century, Indian

June 27, 2013, 9:42 am

≫ Next: Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc Kraak. Chine, époque Wanli (1573-1619)

≪ Previous: Green velvet malachite

$

0

0

Firangi Sword, 18th Century, Indian. 

Steel, gold, wood, velvet. Full Length: 107cm Blade Length: 84 cm.

The Firangi is an Indian weapon used by the Maratha tribes who made them with the blades of the swords that the Portuguese imported from Europe – hence the name "firangi" meaning foreigner – or were produced locally but imitating their characteristics.

Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc Kraak. Chine, époque Wanli (1573-1619)

June 28, 2013, 1:46 pm

≫ Next: Six tabatières en agate, Chine

≪ Previous: Firangi Sword, 18th Century, Indian

$

0

0

Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc Kraak. Chine, époque Wanli (1573-1619). Photo courtesy Leclere

La panse légèrement lobée décorée de panneaux verticaux alternants fleurs et licornes, la base du col ornée de guirlandes de pompons, le col rodé et serti d’une monture en cuivre ciselée. Fêle. H. : 31,5 cm. Estimation : 600 / 800 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00.

Six tabatières en agate, Chine

June 28, 2013, 1:53 pm

≫ Next: Grand brûle-parfum tripode couvert en bronze, Indochine, Vietnam, fin du XIXème siècle

≪ Previous: Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc Kraak. Chine, époque Wanli (1573-1619)

$

0

0

Six tabatières en agate, Chine. Photo courtesy Leclere

De forme balustre ovoïde ou légèrement rectangulaire, la pierre polie laissant apparaître des décors imaginaires. H. : 7 à 8 cm. Estimation : 500 / 600 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00.

Grand brûle-parfum tripode couvert en bronze, Indochine, Vietnam, fin du XIXème siècle

June 28, 2013, 1:58 pm

≫ Next: Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc kraak. Chine, époque Wanli, XVIème siècle

≪ Previous: Six tabatières en agate, Chine

$

0

0

Grand brûle-parfum tripode couvert en bronze, Indochine, Vietnam, fin du XIXème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

Les trois pieds surmontés de têtes d’animaux, la panse bombée décorée en relief d’oiseaux et arbres est agrémentée de deux anses en têtes d’animaux, la prise du couvercle en forme de chien de Fô. H. : 38 cm. Estimation : 500 / 700 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00.

Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc kraak. Chine, époque Wanli, XVIème siècle

June 28, 2013, 2:02 pm

≫ Next: Plat en grès émaillé céladon Longquan, Chine, XVème siècle

≪ Previous: Grand brûle-parfum tripode couvert en bronze, Indochine, Vietnam, fin du XIXème siècle

$

0

0

Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc kraak. Chine, époque Wanli, XVIème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

La panse piriforme décorée de panneaux verticaux alternants fleurs, oiseaux et rochers, pins, la base du col ornée de ruyi, le col rodé et serti de cuivre ; on y joint un petit vase à long col et décor de fleurs ; fêle. H. : 31 cm. et 19 cm. Estimation : 500 / 700 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

---

Plat en grès émaillé céladon Longquan, Chine, XVème siècle

June 28, 2013, 2:04 pm

≫ Next: Trois coupelles en grès émaillé céladon et crème. Chine, époque Song-Yuan, XIIIème, XIVème siècle

≪ Previous: Vase bouteille en porcelaine bleu blanc kraak. Chine, époque Wanli, XVIème siècle

$

0

0

Plat en grès émaillé céladon Longquan, Chine, XVème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

L’aile plate à la bordure chantournée, le marli cannelé, le centre incisé d’une fleur, le plat recouvert d’une belle glaçure céladon ; petits sauts d’émail sur le pourtour. D. : 26 cm. Estimation : 500 / 800 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

Trois coupelles en grès émaillé céladon et crème. Chine, époque Song-Yuan, XIIIème, XIVème siècle

June 28, 2013, 2:20 pm

≫ Next: Deux urnes funéraires en grès émaillé crème, Chine, dynastie Song, XIIème siècle

≪ Previous: Plat en grès émaillé céladon Longquan, Chine, XVème siècle

$

0

0

Trois coupelles en grès émaillé céladon et crème. Chine, époque Song-Yuan, XIIIème, XIVème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

De forme circulaire, la bordure plate, l’intérieur décoré de deux petits poissons en relief. D. : 13,5 cm, 15 cm et 20 cm. Estimation : 200 / 300 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

Deux urnes funéraires en grès émaillé crème, Chine, dynastie Song, XIIème siècle

June 28, 2013, 2:27 pm

≫ Next: Plateau et dix gobelets en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle

≪ Previous: Trois coupelles en grès émaillé céladon et crème. Chine, époque Song-Yuan, XIIIème, XIVème siècle

$

0

0

Deux urnes funéraires en grès émaillé crème, Chine, dynastie Song, XIIème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

Le long col orné de personnages, dragons et nuées en relief surmonté d’une encolure bombée ; couvercles manquants et petits manques. H. : 30 cm. Estimation : 200 / 300 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

Plateau et dix gobelets en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle

June 28, 2013, 2:31 pm

≫ Next: Coupe en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle

≪ Previous: Deux urnes funéraires en grès émaillé crème, Chine, dynastie Song, XIIème siècle

$

0

0

Plateau et dix gobelets en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

La coupelle lobée à décor de fleurs et rinceaux sur fond jaune, six gobelets reprenant le décor de la coupelle, les quatre autres d’un autre modèle. Petits manques d’émail sur les gobelets. D. : 17,5 cm. Estimation : 150 / 200 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

Coupe en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle

June 28, 2013, 2:37 pm

≫ Next: Tasse et sous tasse en porcelaine, Chine, ca 1750

≪ Previous: Plateau et dix gobelets en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle

$

0

0

Coupe en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle. Photo courtesy Leclere

De forme lobée, reposant sur de petits pieds, décorée de cartouches d’animaux sur fond de fleurs et motifs géométriques. L. : 15 cm. Estimation : 150 / 200 €

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

Tasse et sous tasse en porcelaine, Chine, ca 1750

June 28, 2013, 2:41 pm

≫ Next: English, circa 1300, Signet Ring

≪ Previous: Coupe en émaux de Canton, Chine, fin du XIXème siècle

$

0

0

Tasse et sous tasse en porcelaine, Chine, ca 1750. Photo courtesy Leclere

A décor floral peint en bleu sous couverte. Estimation : 80 / 100 €

Provenance : Vente de l’épave Nanking Cargo, Christie’s, Amsterdam, Avril-Mai 1986.

Leclere. Samedi 29 juin 2013. 5 rue Vincent Courdouan - 13006 Marseille. Tel:  +33 (0)4 91 50 00 00

English, circa 1300, Signet Ring

June 29, 2013, 10:07 am

≫ Next: German, 16th century, Large ring with a portrait of a classical woman

≪ Previous: Tasse et sous tasse en porcelaine, Chine, ca 1750

$

0

0

English, circa 1300, Signet Ring. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

the gold inscribed in Lombardic script: Amor Vincit Omnia (love conquers all), the intaglio carved with an eagle bearing a laurel wreath in its beak gold, set with a Roman, 1st/ 2nd century AD, onyx agate nicolo intaglio; inside diameter: 1.8cm., ¾in. Estimate 5,000-7,000 GBP

PROVENANCE: with H. Ulreich Juwelier, Frankfurt, 1964

NOTE: Martin Henig (op. cit.) discusses the medieval elite's fascination for ancient gems to serve as a sigilum secreta and the manner in which such seals were subtly re-interpretated by the intelligentsia. In the ring offered here, the emblem ofVictory embodied in the Roman intaglio has in fact been ingeniously interpreted and reflected in the accompanying inscription. Martin Henig emphasises the status of such ancient seals, which were given equal value to their gold or silver settings, during the medieval period, in citing a Statute of Edward I dated to 1300 ordering that 'gravers or cutters of stones, and of seals shall give to each their weight of silver and gold, as near as they can, upon their fidelity'. The latin phrase on the present ring appears on two further medieval rings in the British Museum illustrated by Dalton (op.cit. nos. 960, 960a). Dalton also notes that the same motto appears on the brooch worn by the Prioress in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

RELATED LITERATURE: O.M. Dalton, The Franks Bequest, Catalogue of the Finger Rings, London, 1912, pl. 37 A-E; C. Oman, British Rings.
800-1914, London, 1974, no.218; M. Henig, 'The re-use and copying of ancient intaglios set in Medieval personal seals mainly found in England: an aspect of the Renaissance of the 12th century', J. Cherry and J. Robinson (eds.), Good Impressions: image and authority in medieval seals, London, 2007, pp. 25-34

Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com

---

German, 16th century, Large ring with a portrait of a classical woman

June 29, 2013, 10:23 am

≫ Next: French or Italian, circa 1600, Cameo with a bust of Christ

≪ Previous: English, circa 1300, Signet Ring

$

0

0

German, 16th century, Large ring with a portrait of a classical woman. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

the shoulders with engraved foliate decoration and scrollwork silver-gilt, set with a cornelian intaglio; inside diameter: 21mm., 7/8 in. Estimate 12,000-15,000 GBP

PROVENANCE: Ralph Andrew Harari, London, until 1969
and thence by descent
with S.J. Phillips Ltd., London, 1988
private collection, United Kingdom

LITTERATURE: J. Boardman and D. Scarisbrick, The Ralph Harari collection of finger rings, London, 1977, p. 66, no. 152;
2,500 Years of rings, cat. S.J. Phillips Ltd., London, 1988, p. 34, no. 74

Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com

French or Italian, circa 1600, Cameo with a bust of Christ

June 29, 2013, 10:33 am

≫ Next: Spanish Colonial, Mexico, circa 1700, Casket

≪ Previous: German, 16th century, Large ring with a portrait of a classical woman

$

0

0

French or Italian, circa 1600, Cameo with a bust of Christ. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

inscribed:APPAETHPIAET KAOXEE; sardonyx, set in a later gold ring; cameo: 24mm., 1in.ring: 18mm., 11/16 in. inside diameter. Estimate 3,000-5,000 GBP

NOTE: The presence of a Greek inscription on the back of this finely carved cameo, translated as "let me be your salvation and your promise", is unusual. Greek inscriptions can be found on a small number of carved gems, such as the cameo of the Emperor Commodus now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, and formerly part of the Marlborough gems. Three other gems with Greek inscriptions mentioned in the Alsdorf collection catalogue (op.cit.) are in the gem collections of Paris, Florence and Munich. Further cameo bust portraits of Christ attributed to 16th-century Italy are in the Museo degli Argenti of the Pitti Palace in Florence and the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. This cameo wouldoriginally have formed part of a devotional pendant or object, as one included in the pax kept in the Treasury of Friuli Cathedral.

The conception of Christ is very close to Antonio Abondio's bust of Christ of circa 1591, which is in the Royal Castle, Warsaw (Bialonowska, op. cit.p. 335, fig. 42). Antonio Abondio (1538-1591) was an important Renaissance sculptor who worked on a small scale; he is particularly celebrated for his wax portrait reliefs.

RELATED LITERATURE: E. Kris, Renaissance-Kleinkunst in Italien. Gefasse, Gemmen, Schmuckstucke und Skulpturen in Bergkristall und Edelstein, Leipzig, 1935, figs. 614, 617 and 620-622; I. Wardropper (ed.), Renaissance Jewellery in the Alsdorf Collection Catalogue, cat. The Art Institute of Chicago, 1999, pp. 60-62, no. 2; R. Gennaioli, Le gemme dei Medici alMuseo degli Argenti, Florence, 2010, no. 427; M. Bialonowska (ed.), Andrzej Stansilaw Ciechanowiecki. Kolekcjoner, marszand i mecenas, Lublin, 2010, p. 75, fig. 42
We would like to thank Diana Scarisbrick for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.

Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com

Spanish Colonial, Mexico, circa 1700, Casket

June 29, 2013, 10:42 am

≫ Next: Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, late 17th century, Casket

≪ Previous: French or Italian, circa 1600, Cameo with a bust of Christ

$

0

0

Spanish Colonial, Mexico, circa 1700, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

the body incised with arms inspired by those of the Royal House of Habsburg supported by a double-headed eagle, the lid incised with the symbol of a pierced heart, and the interior with the painted monogram of the Jesuit Order: IHS; tortoiseshell, on a wood core with silver mounts; 17.3 by 21cm., 6¾ by 8¼in. Estimate 10,000-15,000 GBP

NOTE: This fine casket would have been made in Mexico for the European market, using a technique that is believed to have been introduced to the Americas by Missionaries travelling from India. It compares closely with another in the Hanns Schell collection, Graz (inv. no. 4669). Note the similar incised decoration, which also includes the symbol of the pierced heart on the lid.

RELATED LITERATURE: M. Pall (ed.), Locked Treasures. Caskets and Cabinets from Around the World, cat. Hanns Schell Collection, Graz, 2006, p. 84, no. 66

Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com

Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, late 17th century, Casket

June 29, 2013, 10:52 am

≫ Next: Indo-Portuguese, 17th century, Casket

≪ Previous: Spanish Colonial, Mexico, circa 1700, Casket

$

0

0

Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, late 17th century, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

tortoiseshell, on a wood core, with silver mounts, the interior lined with rose velvet; 11.3 by 16.1cm., 4½ by 6 3/8 in. Estimate 5,000-7,000 GBP

NOTE: The pierced silver mounts adorning the present casket compare with those found on a similar 17th-century Dutch East Indian tortoiseshell casket sold at Christie's, London, on 4 July 2000, lot 62. Note also the similarly shallow lid and the silver handle on the lid with central knop.

Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com

Indo-Portuguese, 17th century, Casket

June 29, 2013, 11:00 am

≫ Next: Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, 17th century, Casket

≪ Previous: Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, late 17th century, Casket

$

0

0

Indo-Portuguese, 17th century, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

tortoiseshell, bone and ivory, on a wood core, with silver mounts; 10 by 15.5cm., 4 by 6 1/8 in. Estimate 3,000-5,000 GBP

NOTE: This unusual casket finds comparisons in 17th-century Indo-Portuguese ivory and tortoiseshell cabinets. Compare, for example, with the cabinet sold at Sotheby's London, on 5 December 2007, lot 57. Note the analagous combination of ivory and tortoiseshell, the small drawers, and the similar rosette-shaped silver handle plates.

Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com